When Plans Get Paused, But Not Lost: Why Reimagining Still Moves You Forward

A couple of years ago, I had everything in place for a dreamy weekend leadership retreat.

✔️ The venue? The June Motel in Picton, ON—that perfect mix of charm and character.
✔️ The speakers? Booked.
✔️ The catering? Standing by.
✔️ The prospectus and sales page? Fully designed and ready to go.

I was in launch mode, finalizing speaker agreements and getting ready to open registration when I attended a session inside an online marketing group I was part of. The guest speaker that day was a lawyer, and I thought it was the perfect time to ask a few questions about contracts.

That’s when the conversation took a turn.

She asked if I was familiar with TICO Guidelines for Special Interest Travel —a regulation in Ontario tied to the travel industry. And that’s when I learned something that stopped me in my tracks:

If your retreat ticket price includes lodging, you legally need to work with a registered travel agent to collect funds and pay vendors.

Cue brain explosion. 💥

I had never heard of this before. But it turns out this regulation has been enforced even more seriously since the pandemic. After digging into it and chatting with a few travel agents, I realized that working with one would add a cost and logistical layer that just didn’t align with my budget or capacity at the time.

So... I paused.

Not because I wanted to. But because sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is wait.

💡 Tip #1: Pressing Pause Doesn’t Mean Giving Up.

For a while, it felt like months of work had gone down the drain—but honestly, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The process of planning that retreat taught me so much:

• What I value in an experience.

• The kind of speakers I want to collaborate with.

• The type of space I want to create for women.

💡 Tip #2: Reimagining Is Still Progress.

For two years, I kept revisiting the idea. But instead of trying to force the original plan, I started reimagining it. What if the retreat didn’t have to be a full weekend? What if it was shorter, simpler, and easier to bring to life—without losing the depth and connection I had always wanted it to offer?

That’s when A Ripple Effect Day at The Atrium started to take shape.

It’s a local, half-day experience that brings together everything I originally envisioned—real conversations, meaningful connection, and powerful leadership growth—in a format that feels lighter, aligned, and (most importantly) possible.

📍 Happening Wednesday, April 30th in St. Thomas, ON.
👥 It’s a small gathering for 20 women.
💬 Two interactive workshops: one with guest speaker Kerry King from Connect Speech, and one hosted by me.
* Kerry was one of the originally booked retreat speakers, and I’m so excited we still get to collaborate.
☕ Coffee, tea, lunch, and a few creative surprises included.

If you're local and want to get the details now, you can check them out here

💡 Tip #3: Simplicity Can Still Be Impactful.

As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to think bigger = better. But sometimes scaling back doesn’t mean settling. It means being thoughtful, intentional, and staying connected to what really matters: the experience you’re creating and the people you're creating it for.

If you’ve ever had a big idea stall, fizzle, or shift—this is your reminder that you don’t have to toss it out. You can rework it. Reshape it. Reimagine it.

Because the work you’ve done is never wasted.

It just might be waiting for a different form.

Janic 💜